The present invention relates to an agent containing vitamin E for treating and protecting the skin.
Vitamin E is known as an antioxidant and protective vitamin for phospholipids of the cell membrane. It maintains the permeability and stability of the cell membrane; cf. Lucy, Annals N.Y. Academy of Science 203, p. 4 (1972). There has further been known that vitamin E has a membrane-sealing effect; cf. F. Mittelbach and G. Bodechtel, Munchner Medizinische Wochenschrift 110 (1968) 36: pp. 1988-1993. In erythrocytes, the simplest cells of the human body, there has been found that vitamin E provides a protective effect for the cell membrane. In tests with animals and humans it has been proven that anemia is a first signal of a deficiency of vitamin E. The hemolysis of the erythrocytes will normalize upon administration of high doses of vitamin E; cf. William J. Darbey Vitamin Horm., 26 (50) pp. 685-704 (1968) and Phelps DL Pediatrics 63 (6) pp. 933-935 (1979). From these references from the literature there is apparent that after the oral administration of from 200 to 800 mg of vitamin E over a period of from 1 to 4 days the hemolysis of the erythrocytes is significantly improved as compared to patients suffering from vitamin E deficiency.
Vitamin E has further been used to treat sickle cell anemia over a period of from 6 to 35 weeks; cf. Natt CL. Am. J. Clin. 33, pp. 968-971 (1980); Natt CL. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 32, pp. 1359-1362 (1979); Gawlik G. M. Fed. Proc. 35 (3), p. 252 (1976) and Gorash L. Bieri J. G. et al. Univ. Conn. Farmington, GT.
It has further been known that a daily dose of 750 mg of vitamin E over a period of from 3 to 6 months was successfully used to treat thalassemia patients, whereupon a normalization of the hemolysis of the erythrocytes was observed; cf. Kahane I. ISR. J. Med. 12 (1), pp. 11-15 (1976).
Vitamin E has further been successfully applied to patients suffering from an acute hepatitis or an alcoholic hepatitis who have a deficiency in vitamin E in serum; cf. Yoshiakawa T., Takemura S., Karo H. et al., Japan. J. Gastrovent, 74/7, pp. 732-739 (1977). Eventually, vitamin E has been used to treat patients suffering from anemia due to an iron deficiency, in which treatment it caused an improvement or normalization of the lipid metabolism in the bone marrow to occur in the course of from 4 to 8 weeks; cf. Takoshi Itaga, Central Clinical Laboratory Nagasaki University of Medicine, Japan.
In the German Patent Applications P 34 20 738, P 34 05 928, P 34 05 239, P 34 07 025, P 34 08 260, P 34 16 162, P 34 32 881, P 34 05 240, P 34 02 930, P 34 07 024, P 34 07 026, P 34 15 250, P 34 27 193 the use of vitamin E has further been proposed for the treatment of the veins, of the anal region and of rheumatic diseases.
It has further been known that cholesterol in human and animal skin is converted by ultraviolet radiation into cholesterol-alpha-oxide, a substance known to be carcinogenic. Experiments with mice have shown that upon administration of vitamins E and C and of two further antioxidants no cholesterol-alpha-oxide will be formed (Pharm. Indu. 36, Nr. 3 (1974) Anschel, USA).
It has now surprisingly been found that vitamin E and combinations comprising vitamin E together with other active substances, more specifically, are suitable as agents for the treatment of eczema, skin tetter, skin inflammations, itch, allergies, wrinkles, pigmentations in the skin, and alopecia as well as wounds. Moreover, the agents according to the invention can be employed as protective agents against ultraviolet light and for promoting hair growth. The agents according to the invention are further suitable as skin-protecting agents in cases of exposure to radiation, e.g. of cancer patients. This new range of indications was not foreseeable from the state of the art and will open a new wide field of applications for vitamin E. The use of vitamin E, at long sight, will result in a stabilization and permanent elimination of the symptoms, so that the probability of a relapse is very low. However, the combination preparations containing vitamin E will have to be taken over an extended period of time, for about 6 months or longer.